


The Ace

by MaggicSorceress



Series: Maggic's Undertale Human AU [33]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Don't hate on the berry he is good bean, Error has a hard time, In which the author self projects, Ink and Error are sweet, It Gets Sweet, M/M, Sexuality Crisis, because the author projects onto him, life is hard yo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:40:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25303222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaggicSorceress/pseuds/MaggicSorceress
Summary: In which Error proves a lot of people wrong, including himself.
Relationships: Blueberry/Error (onesided), Ink/Error, eventual Error/Ink, past Dream/Ink
Series: Maggic's Undertale Human AU [33]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1623928
Comments: 16
Kudos: 74





	The Ace

**_‘Your sad little stories_ **

Error always felt out of place in his life, always felt a little different than those that surrounded him. At first, he figured that was mainly because of all the shit he had going on in his head, mainly the schizophrenia among other things, but he soon grew to realise that that wasn’t the only reason. He wasn’t any stranger to the relationships of people around him, he was in high school after all, but sometimes he couldn’t help but feel very alienated.

**_I’ve been getting kind of tired_ **

He…wasn’t interested in a relationship. Which was strange, since he was in the ‘prime of his life’ according to his mother. At first, he blamed his haphephobia, like he did with everything, but then he grew to realize that it wasn’t only that. He just wasn’t interested, ever. He could argue with himself that it was because he already had _way_ too much shit that he was dealing with, or that he was not in a stable place of mind to have a proper relationship, but at the crux of it all, Error just had no desire to have that sort of relationship.

**_Why do you just keep on talking?’_ **

He loved the few friends that he had to death, and he would burn the world down for them, but sometimes he felt that he would never be fully on the same page as them, or they would never understand him, but they honestly never made him feel uncomfortable.

Until one day.

It was a well-known fact that Blueberry had pined over him for years, many people Error was friends with knew this, but they had been good friends ever since fifth grade, and throughout high school. Regardless of the fact that they had never ended up together.

So, Blue was the _last_ person Error expected to feel attacked by, even if it wasn’t meant to be in a mean way.

**_They’re poking, and joking, and when they’re tired_ **

Error had never outright stated his sexuality to his friends, because he wasn’t completely sure of it himself, but he had talked to them about how he felt about relationships before. He was never specific, because he didn’t know how to explain why he felt certain ways, but he could honestly say he wasn’t expecting to feel so… _alienated_ by someone who he thought cared about his comfort and him as a person.

The night had been wonderful, even though it had barely started, and they were well on their way through a card game, when someone had brought up, in a passing sort of way, the fact that Blue had a crush on Error for a _long_ time.

Error was expecting what usually transpired to happen: for them to all laugh it off. It was in the past, after all.

**_No more happy, or laughing, wait what just happened?_ **

He _wasn’t_ expecting Blueberry to turn it around on him.

“Well, I mean,” Blue had begun, laughter seeping into his voice, “Error doesn’t care about anyone anyway, so…”

At the time, Error had laughed, because he knew deep down that Blue hadn’t meant anything by it, but now…

Now that he’d had a night and half a day to fully process his friend’s words, they hit him like a punch to the gut. He hadn’t meant to react like that, hadn’t meant to let it affect him since he knew it didn’t come from a place of malice, but…

**_We’re worried and judging books by covers_ **

It _hurt_.

It hurt to hear something he struggled with daily in the privacy of his own mind being spoken and joked about so nonchalantly by someone that he _cared about_.

He _did_ care about people, and he wasn’t sure if it was that accusation that struck him so deeply or just _who_ the accusation was from, given their history, but it hit Error way out of left field and had him reeling.

He knew he had trust issues, and trouble expressing his feelings towards people that he cared about, but he was trying, especially lately. However, the statement struck a chord deep inside him and reverberated around in his head until it was all he could think about, all he was consumed by.

_Error doesn’t love anyone._

_Error never will love anyone, he can’t._

And _gods it hurt._

**_Getting ready, enemy strikes will be coming_ **

Error was never closed off to the possibility of a relationship, he wouldn’t be against it if one day someone happened to cross paths with him and give him that shock of _attraction_ that he had been missing for a wide portion of his life. Rather, he was sure he wouldn’t have any trouble falling into that sort of relationship with that mystery person, so long as they developed a sturdy friendship first and were okay with the boundaries he had.

In the privacy of his own mind, he wondered if that would ever be possible, if he would ever feel that way towards someone, or if he would be forced to exist in the sort of limbo he had been forced to reside in. It was strange, to be okay with the concept of a relationship, but not be able to actively chase after one since _there was nothing there_.

So, he wasn’t exactly sure how to breach the topic with Blue. The topic that he had, however unintentionally, hurt his feelings immensely.

**_No brainer, the danger is in your head_ **

But the fact was that Blue didn’t _know_ any better, and Error couldn’t expect him to, considering he had never taken the time to explain to him the inner-workings of his thoughts and brain, so Error wasn’t sure if he could be rightfully upset with his best friend.

But he _was_ upset.

Because the statement that he couldn’t care about anyone almost seemed like it came from somewhere deep in Blueberry. As if he was accusing Error of never caring about him, simply because they never ended up together, and Error felt silly to assume such things. It had been _years_ , and Blueberry was currently dating someone anyway.

Error couldn’t find another explanation, however.

**_All of the people dying from all the greediness in their hearts_ **

Eventually, they hashed things out and Blue realised his, pun not intended, error and apologised, and things went back to normal.

Only, they didn’t.

Error’s thoughts still wandered, and still wound up at those little insecurities and worries that had plagued him for so long that he was beginning to doubt they would ever go away. He felt _wrong_ and _out of place_ and _broken_ , and he **hated** feeling like that, even though he so often did. It made him feel weak, and he refused to be that again.

**_All the people buying just to throw away every part_ **

And then…all of a sudden…in a burst of brilliant colour and intense emotion, Ink waltzed into his life.

He didn’t like the artist at first, he rarely liked anyone at first, and they hadn’t really gotten along due to their completely different personalities, but…

They went through a _lot_ together, saw each other at their absolute worst, and still refused to leave each other’s side, no matter how much they made each other angry sometimes. They knew the other better than they knew themselves, and it was something they both simultaneously loved and hated.

**_All of the people break and buy a new love that’ll never last_ **

Error felt closer to Ink than anyone else, though he would rather die than admit that to the artist, but maybe it was because Ink made a genuine _effort_ when it came to him that he had only previously seen in Blueberry, an effort to understand why he acted the way that he did.

Ink was also the only person, beside his adoptive mother and brother, to try to help him with his haphephobia.

It wasn’t anything he asked the artist to do either, Error never wanted to ask for help with it, since he assumed he’d have to live with it forever, but that didn’t dissuade Ink from wanting to. It didn’t stop him from coming over to his apartment once a week just to attempt to get Error more comfortable with touching other people, however minimal said touching was. The hours spent just working up the mental strength to simply touch the palms of their hands together was well worth the proud and joyous look in Ink’s eyes.

Upon seeing that his own progress had made someone else so ridiculously happy, Error couldn’t help but feel fuzzy-headed and warm.

**_Can’t you see I need you or I’m alone?_ **

And they got _closer._

To the point where Error found himself actively seeking out the artist’s company when he had nothing else to do, to the point where he felt used to Ink seeking out brief hugs or any form of physical contact with him, to the point where he realised he didn’t _dislike_ those moments of contact and had rather come to expect them. To _want_ them.

Ink made him feel _comfortable,_ and that in itself was weird enough for him.

**_Who can say it ain’t that way?_ **

Sometimes, Error wondered, if they were getting dangerously close to a certain territory in which conversations would have to be had, and expectations would have to be shattered.

Now was one such moment.

They were sitting on his living room couch in his apartment together, curled up close together in a way that bordered on cuddling, but with _just_ enough space between them. Ink, from where his head rested against his shoulder, was roughly sketching in his notebook while Error flipped channels on the television. When the silence grew too much, and his thoughts too loud, Error finally spoke up.

“Ink?” He began, turning off the TV.

“Hm?” Ink hummed, looking up from his work to meet Error’s gaze with curious silver eyes.

**_Yeah, we all know egos are taking up the space_ **

“Is this…weird?” Error said, unsure of how else he could phrase a question like this.

Ink raised an eyebrow. “Is what weird?”

“This.” Error said as he gestured to how they were sitting, legs tangled, and sides pressed snugly together.

“Uhm, I don’t think so?” Ink laughed. “I mean, this doesn’t seem weird to me, but if you’re uncomfortable I can move.”

“I’m not.” Error reassured. “It’s just…this seems very…couple-esque, I guess…”

Ink snorted. “I mean, I guess? I wouldn’t really know, but can’t friends cuddle too?”

**_I don’t know, it may be true_ **

“I wouldn’t know either…” Error said, a smile tugging at his lips.

“What?” Ink teased. “Blue never tried to cuddle with you at some point?”

“Oh, he did.” Error said. “Just never let him get this close.”

“Aw~.” Ink said. “Am I your first cuddle?~”

“Shut your damn mouth, squid.”

Ink laughed, the sound becoming achingly familiar before silence descended upon them again, this time, however, there was an almost palpable tension in the air between them. Error took a moment and swallowed his pride.

“Have you…ever dated anyone before?” He asked, the question feeling heavy on his tongue.

**_Don’t wanna see the clean me dyed in dirty paint_ **

“Once.” Ink said, shifting against his shoulder to get more comfortable. “I dated Dream for a few weeks in like…tenth grade? But we broke it off pretty quick.”

Error was shocked, but he decided not to say anything. “Why? Dream seems nice enough.”

Ink gave a humourless laugh. “Oh, yeah he’s a great person to date, but we just weren’t…compatible.”

“How so?”

“We just…weren’t.” Ink said. “I loved him as my best friend and nothing more. I thought I could maybe grow to have those sorts of feelings for him if we started trying to be more, but I just…didn’t. He wanted me to love him in a way I couldn’t, so we decided to go back to just being friends.”

**_Cool my brain and turn away_ **

Error was quiet, silently mulling over what Ink had revealed to him, when the artist turned his attention back to him.

“What about you?” Ink asked. “Have you ever dated anyone?”

Error shook his head. “No, I’ve never…”

“Is it the haphephobia?” Ink asked, a soft look in his eyes.

“It’s…a lot of things.” Error said. “Not only that. I’ve just never…had those sorts of feelings towards someone else before.”

“…I get it…” Ink mumbled.

**_Don’t wanna look to see the mean hypocrisy_ **

“I’m not…opposed to the idea of dating someone that I’m comfortable around.” Error said, feeling a wave of nervousness wash over him. “I just…”

“Can’t promise anything.” Ink finished.

“Yeah.” Error said. “And I feel bad for that, cause I don’t want to lead anyone on, but…I just can’t promise that I’ll meet expectations, you know?”

Ink grew quiet, desperately hoping that the thundering of his heart was only audible to himself, and took a deep breath in the hopes of centering himself. He pulled away from the other and folded one of his legs beneath him.

“What if…” He began, taking another shaky breath, “what if someone didn’t have any expectations of you?”

Error blinked at him, clearly confused. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Ink said, “what if all anyone asked of you was for you to be yourself, through and through?”

**_Why not cry until I’m fine?_ **

Error snorted out a laugh. “Like anyone would ask for just that, ink-stain.”

Ink swallowed. “What if…that was all I asked?”

The silence that fell after Ink’s question was heavy, and Ink couldn’t bring himself to see Error’s expression.

“What if, all I asked of you, was for you to stay exactly the way you are now?” Ink continued, rambling in order to distract himself from the panic filling his stomach. “What if all I asked for was a chance for us to be something more?”

“Ink…”

“What if all I asked for was a chance to love you, wholeheartedly, with no expectations and no strings attached?”

**_Don’t wanna touch you please_ **

When Ink finally dared to meet Error’s stare, he wasn’t expecting the glassy look in the other’s amber eyes, or the tightness of his jaw. When Error spoke, his voice was thick.

“How c-can that be all you cou-ld ever want from me?” He said, stutters making themselves known again. “Ink, h-ow is that _fair_ to you? I have n-no idea what I’m doing, and I r-really don’t want to ruin… _this._ ”

“It’s fair to me because that’s all I’ve wanted for…a while now.” Ink admitted with a small laugh. “You won’t mess this up, I promise. I told you: no expectations, and no strings attached. All you have to say is that you’re willing to try.”

**_Just keep away from me!_ **

Error sucked in a breath, chest unbearably tight, and nodded, reaching out a hand to grasp tightly at one of Ink’s, hoping the contact would help ground him slightly.

“I...I want to try…” Error mumbled.

Ink smiled, and the sight was so brilliant and full of joy that Error just _knew_ he hadn’t made a bad decision.

“Then let’s try.” Ink said, giving Error’s hand a gentle squeeze.

**Author's Note:**

> hahahahaha, yeah I know I have a crap ton of other fics to be updating but I've had a rough few days cause of some shit that happened, plus work and school stuff, so here's another vent fic for me to kick my own ass out of the funk I've fallen into.  
> Hope you guys liked it nonetheless! Comments and kudos are always lovely and really help me get through rough days <3  
> -Maggic  
> P.S: for any of you who are curious, because I relate to Error far too much, he is 100% on the asexual spectrum in my AU


End file.
